Davis v. Georgia
429 U.S. 122 · Decided December 6, 1976 · Supreme Court of the United States
Record summary. This page is generated from the Supreme Court Database’s coded data about the case. It describes who decided what, not the Court’s reasoning. Read the opinion itself before relying on it. Not legal advice.
At a glance
Davis v. Georgia was decided on December 6, 1976 by a vote of 6–3. The Court reversed the lower court's decision and remanded the case. The decision was issued per curiam (an unsigned opinion of the Court). SCDB classifies its main issue as “Extra-legal jury influences, jurors and death penalty” in the Criminal Procedure area.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 429 U.S. 122 · 97 S. Ct. 399 · 50 L. Ed. 2d 339 · 1976 U.S. LEXIS 177
- Docket number
- 76-5403
- Decided
- December 6, 1976
- Court era
- Burger Court
- Decision type
- Per curiam (no oral argument)
- Disposition
- Reversed and remanded
- Outcome for petitioner
- The petitioning party received a favorable disposition
- Vote
- 6–3
- Opinion assigned by
- William J. Brennan Jr.
- How the case arrived
- Certiorari
- Issue area
- Criminal Procedure
- Legal provision
- Sixth Amendment (other provisions)
- Type of law
- Constitutional amendment
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Liberal what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice William J. Brennan Jr. | Majority | |
| Justice Potter Stewart | Majority | |
| Justice Byron R. White | Majority | |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Majority | |
| Chief Justice Warren E. Burger | Jurisdictional dissent | |
| Justice Harry A. Blackmun | Jurisdictional dissent | |
| Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr. | Majority | |
| Justice William H. Rehnquist | Jurisdictional dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice John Paul Stevens | Majority |
Full case caption
Davis v. Georgia
SCDB identifiers: case 1976-019, docket 1976-019-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Extra-legal jury influences, jurors and death penalty”
- Adams v. Texas
- McGautha v. California
- Maxwell v. Bishop
- Wainwright v. Witt
- Lopinson v. Pennsylvania
- Spence v. North Carolina
Cases on the same legal provision: Sixth Amendment (other provisions)
- Duren v. MissouriAltered precedentLaw held unconstitutional
- Harlin v. Missouri
- Gannett Co., Inc. v. Depasquale
- Groppi v. WisconsinLaw held unconstitutional
- Waller v. Georgia
- Patton v. Yount
Same Term, same area (Criminal Procedure)
- United States v. Morrison
- United States v. Rose
- United States v. Dieter
- United States v. Pomponio
- United States v. Sanford
- Moore v. United States
Source: Supreme Court Database, 2026 Release 01 (data file dated September 8, 2026). Imported into CaseTrail November 5, 2026. Coverage: decisions from the 1946 through 2025 Terms. Methodology · Report an error